She shook her head. He’d offered her a job when he’d started his private security company five years ago. She hadn’t been in a position to accept then and she had no desire to accept his offer now. “I like where Iam.”
“But are you happy?” heasked.
It wasn’t a question she’d really ever considered. “Sometimes it’s not about being happy. Sometimes it’s about beingcontent.”
“That’s a shitty way to live yourlife.”
“Are you happy?” sheasked.
Something dark and pained crossed his face, there and gone in a blink. He rapped the table with his knuckles. “We’ll keep them safe. Call if you need anythingelse.”
Chapter 13
“I’m goingto buy the kids a play set for the backyard.” Bree upended the wine bottle, pouring the last of it into herglass.
“What kind of play set?” Denise asked. But the answer was delayed by the ripping sound of packing tape as Denise closed the box she’d finished stuffing full of books andmovies.
“A wooden one with a slide and swing.” Bree leaned against the counter and sipped herwine.
She wasn’t fooled by that innocent look, envisioning a massive, Swiss Family Robinson monstrosity taking up the entire yard of Bree’s house. She set her hands on her hips. “Showme.”
Bree rolled her eyes. “It’s not thatbig.”
“Show.Me.”
Setting down her wine glass with a sign, she pulled out her phone, fiddled with it, and handed it over toDenise
Her estimation hadn’t been far off. The damn thing had a turret. “No.” She handed the phone back to Bree. “It’s too big and tooexpensive.”
“It’s not and it’s awesome.Iwant to play init.”
“It is and you can—in something smaller and lessexpensive.”
“But look, with this one you can hook up a hose and shoot the water cannon.” She held out the phone, zoomed in on the picture of a boy shooting a water cannon from the top of thetower.
Denise set up another box. “Uh huh. Are you buying this for them oryou?”
Bree slid her phone back into her pocket. “We’ll call it a mutually beneficialpurchase.”
“Get a smallerone.”
Bree’s shoulders sagged and she picked up her wine glass. “Fine.”
“You’re going to get that one, aren’tyou?”
She flashed Denise a shit-eating grin. “Yup.”
Denise growled in frustration. “You can get it for them forChristmas.”
“But that’s monthsaway.”
“And it doubles as their birthday present as well.” She held her friend’s gaze, knowing she wouldn’t win the argument about the Fort Knox of play sets, but unwilling to give on the when orwhy.
Bree broke the stare-down. “Fine,” she said indefeat.
Denise dropped a stack of DVDs in the box. “I thought you were going to help mepack.”
“I am. I’m helping you get rid of the stuff you don’t want tomove.”
